


A Short Stack and a Raider

by Biggreenfeet



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4, Nuka World - Fandom
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Feelings, Maybe - Freeform, Nuka World, Opposites Attract, lone wanderer - Freeform, odd couple, sheer self indulgent, swears
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-06-19 05:13:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15503073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biggreenfeet/pseuds/Biggreenfeet
Summary: She's a snotty-but-brilliant engineer. He's a dictator's wingman. Both are experienced wanderers on a collision course. Will they reach the destination together, or go their separate ways?Wesley is my Lone wanderer. She's learned a lot in the decade since leaving Vault 111- just not enough to stay out of trouble. This takes place before Colter is defeated by the Sole Survivor. A time where Porter Gage has just begun to question the Overboss' leadership...





	1. Chapter 1

_Great. Fantastic._

She’d managed to do it again. Curiosity. God damned curiosity was always getting her into shit like this. 

Sunlight blinked across her vision as the sky train trundled and groaned along the track. Static sizzled from an ancient speaker. She traced the details of the cabin until her eyes wandered out the window. The track seemed to wind a semicircle around the theme park. The different zones were walled off from one another, each with its’ own distinct theme and architecture. Her eyes widened at the sight of the human remains hanging from twisted branches.

_Raiders._

She pulled a chunk of hair behind her ear and sighed. Anxiety knotted her insides. Beyond that, there it was again. _Curiosity._

The railing squealed with friction as the passenger car slowed to a shaky stop. Her muscles were taut and ready to spring. The automated doors slid open, revealing the remains of the station platform. There was a large desk in the center of the space and a black and green computer screen on top. 

She read the words on the blinking terminal screen. _You’re soooooo dead_! And rolled her eyes.

“Morons,” she said to no one in particular. 

There were hastily painted arrows leading to a doorway framed with jagged metal. The elevator was out of commission. The windows had been sealed up with angry, splintered planks of wood. Bits of metal like tin roofing were wired together. All things that wouldn’t be easy to pry off before the hunters returned to check their trap. 

She rolled her neck and shoulders trying to ease the tension. There had to be another way out. 

“I’m not playing your game, assholes!” Her voice reverberated around the cement room.

She turned her attention back to the monorail. The raiders- or whoever had set up this death trap- had considered most of the escape routes. They hadn’t considered the small opening at the front of the train. Maybe because it was too small for most people. 

 _Not for me._ She smirked and stretched her shoulders, swinging wiry arms back and forth before reaching for her toes and back towards the dingy ceiling. Her eyes narrowed as she gauged the size of the opening. It certainly _seemed_ just wide enough for her to slide through. 

At the sound of distant voices the internal debate was over. She stuffed herself through the hole and disappeared.

 

***

 

The laser rifle was still humming as the raiders dragged her across rusted tin and chain link. Her ears were ringing and her head pounded. 

“Turn the gun off if you’re not going to use it. All you’re doing is wasting the fusion cell.” She glared at them. “God you guys are dumb.”

Her boots scuffed and scraped against the cement steps sending up a spray of sparks. A part of her was oddly thankful for the lift. The flavor of iron filled her mouth. She gentled her lip with her tongue and noted the swelling. _Great, a fat lip_. She spat red on the dirty pavement and followed the line of sight to an ominous set of blue doors. They were set innocuously into beige stucco- some kind of side entrance to the lumbering building. 

Her captors swung her through the opening and she blinked in the sudden dimness. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. They swept her up a wire ramp and through another door. There were transparent walls surrounding an oval space in the center. The décor was tacky at best. Oversized soda bottles flanked the oblong space. Strange, cartoonish vehicles with rods sticking out of them littered the area. Her mind flipped through thoughts like a microfiche, speeding forward while her mind clawed at the image. 

But it would have to wait. 

A figure stood in the center of the arena. Neon lights burned his silhouette into the backs of her eyes.

“Bring ‘er here boys.” He was thick ropes of muscle on a broad frame. “I wanna meet the li’l snipe that cheated me out of givin’ everyone a good show today.” 

A new raider slid into her vision. His armor had been cobbled together out of powder coated yellow steel. She couldn’t place the material’s origin, but guessed at some kind of construction equipment. “S’alright boys, I got her from here,” he drawled. He leaned down to look at her with his good eye. His nose was inches from her face. A cobbled metal eyepatch covered his right eye. It almost brushed her forehead. 

“Dunno if you know this,” she’s had quite enough at this point, “but you have _extreme_ halitosis.” She smirked at the look of confusion on the man’s face and continued in a stage whisper. “It means your mouth smells like a toxic waste dump. 

The corners of his mouth turned up in a threatening grin. “That’s rich coming from a vic in a bomb collar.” He shoved her towards the man in the center of the arena with a gritty chuckle.

Wesley stumbled forward. She found herself staring up into the eyes of a very dangerous looking man. 

“ _This_ bitch outsmarted the Gauntlet?” he dropped his chin, circling her like a hungry wolf. “So what should I do with you little girl?” His eyes lingered on her head of silver hair.

“How’s about you come up with more creative insults?” Her brow creased. “Maybe team up with your friend over there and search the wasteland for a toothbrush?”

“Shut the fuck up.” There was a dangerous edge to his voice as he towered over her. “Maybe I just toss your scrawny ass in the ring and beat you to death.” 

The conviction in his voice had cowed her. His hand shot out. Gritty fingers pressed against her throat as he closed the gap between them. With a rough tug on the collar the raider brought them eye-to-eye. Her toes barely brushed the floor. She gagged and grasped fruitlessly at the device. 

“Or maybe I just toss you to Gage over there and you can help him test the boundaries of this collar.” 

Wesley’s eyes went wide. She clawed pitifully at his hands. Darkness spilled into the corners of her vision. 

“Boss.” The man’s drawl carried across the space. “She ain’t gonna be much use if you off her.” 

The boss paused to consider his point and she hit the floor with a solid thud. There was reluctant acknowledgment in his voice. “Get ‘er outta here, Gage.” 

She coughed and sputtered, glaring up at the two of them. A rough hand wrapped itself around her bicep, and she was dragged off before she could get another word in.


	2. Chapter 2

Wesley had learned several things in the weeks since her arrival to the theme park from hell. There were three different sects in Nuka World: The Operators were mobsters who seemed to value fashion over carnage. The Pack was composed of a bunch of filthy animal fuckers. And the Disciples were homicidal maniacs who enjoyed bathing in the leftovers of their victims. 

She combed through her silver hair with filthy fingers before giving it several twists and wrapping the elastic around it. The bomb collar was uncomfortably hot against the delicate skin on her neck. Her lips were cracked and dry. Sweat dripped down her face and onto the ragged excuse for a shirt draped over her torso. She desperately missed her black jumpsuit. The rounded, metallic armor. Without them she felt vulnerable, naked. 

There was a heavy scent of rotting meat hanging in the air. It made her sick despite the fact that her stomach was empty. 

 _“Guess you get to run the Gauntlet after all little girl.”_ She’d learned his name was Colter and they called him _Overboss_. The Gauntlet, it turned out, was a deadly obstacle course stuffed to the brim with things that could kill you. Each new section brought fresh horrors. There were all kinds of traps- some of them actually quite _clever_ \- but gruesome nonetheless. 

“Fucker.” She muttered under her breath and seethed against the wood. It seemed pointless to broom and mop out a death trap, but they’d given her little input. It didn’t matter anyway. She was taking advantage of the lack of oversight. The same lack of oversight she’d experienced since being assigned to Gauntlet duty. In a completely ass-backward way, Colter’s punishment was proving beneficial. 

Today’s minder was an Operator. Just as predicted, the suit-clad thug had stood just outside the gore-covered room. Wesley shoved the broom halfheartedly. The goal was to make just enough noise to be left alone while she searched for tools. So far she’d managed a pair of pliers, but a screwdriver had remained elusive. 

The broom only managed to spread the molasses-textured liquid around. It left bristly, grisly trails across the floor. She paused to wipe sweat off her forehead suddenly realizing her mouth was desperately dry. 

There was a glint of something behind the counter. Her heart leapt and she sidled around the bar top. 

 _Nuka Cola_ … 

It was warm. It had long since lost its carbonation. It was sickeningly sweet.

She chugged until it was gone and gasped for air. The blood sugar spike made her giddy and she dropped onto a stool, enjoying the high. She leaned her forehead onto her hands and let her lids drop. Her breathing slowed and soon she was snoring lightly. 

The next moment she was on the floor. Someone was laughing and there was an acute pain in her back. She’d landed on the empty bottle 

“Fuck you.” Welsey grunted, trying to get to her feet. She was met with a sharp kick to the ribs and groaned in pain. 

“Get up. Time to get you back to your cage.” The woman sneered, prodding her with a filthy wingtip. 

She sighed. _Maybe I’ll find a goddamned screwdriver tomorrow._ Until then, she’d be herded with the rest of the human cattle into the steel prisons and locked away.

 

***

 

The plastic handle was solid in her hand. It shook ever so slightly as she lifted it to her neck. Wesley cursed silently at the clumsiness of her hands. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the pliers. It didn’t matter that she’d done this before, it was always a gamble. 

 _Well, if I fuck up at least it’ll be over quick._  

The mirror made things awkward. She strained, trying to bend in just the right way. The wires were corroded and ugly but after some time she found the one she was looking for. Her breath slowed to nothing. Sweat beaded her forehead. 

 _Now or never. Do it. Do it before they realize you’re gone._  

The pliers clamped around the wire. She squeezed her eyes shut and gave it a quick tug. The subtle hum of energy around her neck ceased. Wesley grinned. It was time to put her plan into action. She just had to get to the home of the Overboss himself: Colter. 

 _The easiest part of the whole plan!_ She rolled her eyes at the sarcastic inner monologue. It was a long shot. She knew that. But it was the best shot she had to escape. And she had been planning for some time. 

At the sound of footsteps she stashed the tools back under the sink and turned on a faucet. 

“What do you think you’re doing in here?” 

Wesley turned to the woman and leaned into her exhaustion act. Her voice was almost a whisper and she swallowed dryly. 

“I wanted to splash my face. It’s so hot out today and I have a lot to do tonight. I just thought-” 

“Stop thinking.” The voice coming from behind the mask was a low growl. “And get back to work before I skin you alive.” Sharp teeth formed something between a smile and a snarl. “Been too long since I’ve been able to carve somebody up.” 

Wesley’s eyes went wide and she stammered an apology, backing her way out of the restrooms. Her heart drumrolled against her ribcage and she gripped the outside wall for a moment to catch her breath. The oppressive heat beaded sweat across her brow, and she sighed. 

 _Time to wait_.

She’d spent the rest of her daylight hours brooming trash around in circles while watching raiders make their rounds. Most of them were Disciples. Of the three gangs in Nuka World, they scared her the most. The Operators and Pack could be reasoned with (to a degree) but there was little to be done if you crossed the iron-masked raiders.

The color slowly faded from the sky, turning from indigo to inky black. The moon slowly swam across the darkness, casting deep shadows. A cool wind sent the lighter pieces of trash wheeling away from her broom and into the night. A small grin bloomed across her sunburned features as the red doors across the square whooshed open and Colter stepped out. 

 _Right on time._  

Wesley slipped into the shade, watching the Overboss make his way towards the rest of Nuka Town and towards the bar. Several of the raiders fell in line behind Colter and she could hear the sounds of bawdy laughter coming from the crowd. She turned her attention back to the doors. There didn’t seem to be anyone in the direct vicinity, but she’d prepared a backup, just in case. 

Sliding an arm into the trash bin in front of her, Wesley pulled out a yellow cylinder. She formed a hammock out of her shirt to cradle her offering- a fusion core. Colter’s love of power armor was no secret. The rarity of power armor parts wasn’t either. If anyone stopped her, well she was just delivering a _gift_ …

She inhaled deeply and took one step. Then another. Then another. She had to stay confident. Confidence was credibility, and she couldn’t afford to be discredited. She stomped her way to the doors and reached out.

They hissed open. 

The bottom floor of the once fabulous dining establishment smelled musty. Like something had gotten damp and never quite dried. Dust motes floated through the dim, stirred by the sudden rush of air from the doors. Beyond that there was nothing but stagnant, heavy air. 

Wesley found herself thankful for the working lights. One flickered every so often but she could see well enough to pick her way around the trash piles. 

 _It’s not going to be down here. That would be too easy._  

She turned her attention to the blinking circle hiding in back of the room. Her insides contracted. Hairs at the back of her neck stood on end. 

 _It’s going to be where Colter put it. With his stuff. Probably somewhere I’ll have to rifle through shit and-_  

She shook her head and gnawed at her finger. Blue-grey eyes darted to the elevator panel and the soft clicks coming from the button. Her hand dropped to her side again, and she stopped. There was only the sound of her heart beating. Slight vibrations of objects settling in the room. Nothing upstairs. 

The doors slid open immediately and her heart collided with her ribs. But there was no one there. The wave of relief made her dizzy and the sudden pressure of the rising lift further addled her brain. By the conclusion of the short ride her knees were threatened to buckle. 

A few strands of hair fell into her face as she poked her head out of the elevator. She pulled them back in irritation while peering at the space. The room itself would have been indoor seating for the Fizz Top Grille restaurant. The floor was checker-tiled, and the wallpaper, though peeling and brown in some places, was brightly decorated with abstract starbursts. 

Colter had dragged in some tables and a workbench. There was a power armor stand directly across from her, and a computer sharing a table with a rusted tool box. 

 _Wonder if it still works._ A shadow of a grin crossed her face before her brows dropped again. Wesley paused and took a slow breath while listening for movement. The dull click-clicking of the elevator button was the only sound cutting through the quiet. She let the air rush out of her lungs in relief, scanning the clutter for a hint of something. 

Her boots gripped the grimy tile as she made her way to what had remained largely a kitchen. The equipment hadn’t been in working order for decades (if not centuries), but the Overboss still stocked his fridge with food and drink. Most of it was Nuka Cola related. Her face lit up at the sight of a Nuka Grape. She’d always assumed there had to be more flavors that what they’d had in the vault. A small hand swiped it from the broken icebox while the other twisted the cap off with surprising finesse. The sickening purple mess was exquisite, even if it was warm. She could feel the liquid drain into her very empty stomach. A belch erupted and suddenly she felt ten years old again.

Colter had truly terrible taste in food. Or good taste in terrible food. Wesley raided his cabinets in spite of her better judgment, but it had been weeks since she’d eaten a proper amount of food. She shoved the damning pile of wrappers in a random drawer and disappeared from the kitchen. 

There was no trace of her things in this particular wing. It turned her stomach and she swallowed hard to keep the mountain of junk food from coming back up. Because if it wasn’t in this room, _it was in the other room_. The one with the giant balcony. With the very _visible_ windows. 

But it _had_ to be in there. There were mutterings in the pens about Colter’s love of trophies: unique weapons and armor. Things you just didn’t see every day. Couple that with the fact that she hadn’t seen anyone wearing her armor, and not one of the unkempt raider masses carried an energy weapon. It had to be here. 

The blue double doors loomed over her. They seemed to push the walls inward and pulsed with imaginary energy. Her hand trembled against the knob, but she nevertheless turned it. She winced at the slow creaking, eyes darting to every corner. Every shadow shape sounded a silent alarm in her brain. She took a deep, controlled breath and willed herself to focus. 

The room was larger than it seemed it would be from the ground. There was a centrally located bar flanked by several dilapidated booths. Colter had cobbled together a pseudo bedroom on a raised platform in one corner of the room. The main wall was unfortunately a giant window and she bit her lip in apprehension. There was a bed, bureau and side table. More importantly, there was a safe and a bright red trunk. 

 _Bingo_. 

It took her longer than she’d liked to jimmy the lock on the safe. It was a lot harder without her tools and she’d cursed the damn thing more times than she could count. A growl formed in the back of her throat. _Nothing_. There was nothing in the useless iron box. Her teeth clicked as they ground together. 

“Fuck.” 

The last place that had any hope of containing her things was the oversized red trunk. It backed up directly against the window. Her anxiety churned. How much longer could she keep this all up without getting caught? Every minute brought her closer to an untimely demise. But the mechanism fell into place quickly, and she was in. The lid rested gently against the window while she leaned over the spacious compartment. 

And there they were. The black jumpsuit. The bulbous silvered armor. The familiar military-olive barrel of her laser rifle. Even the metal boot covers were intact. The sight of them made her oddly nostalgic. Her mind drifted for just a moment as she gathered the items. 

She took care when dropping the lid back into place and carted the clumsy bundle towards the blue doors. Small hands yanked at the defunct bomb collar. It uncoupled violently and fell to the floor in multiple pieces. For the first time in a long time, a smug grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. The clothing and armor slid on like a second skin. 

She stood square-shouldered and stared out past the balcony. Triumph blazed in her cheeks. She was victorious. She was _invincible._ She was falling as something very heavy had slammed into the back of her head. Everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well she just can't keep herself out of trouble, can she?   
> Hope you've enjoyed Chapter 2. Stick around for more chaos, raiders, and nuka cola.


	3. Chapter 3

How she’d ended up back where she started, Wesley couldn’t fathom. In fact, she could barely remember reclaiming her gear. The neon lights left trails across her vision and there was a knot on the back of her head. She was alone with a raider in the arena, but they were not alone in the building. He wore the same tangled yellow armor and matching eye patch. Her brain chugged along, scraping for a name.

“Well, well, well. Looks like the little bitch is back.” Laugher poured from the loudspeakers surrounding them. “See you soon, love.” 

She tried to shake the raider’s grip on her to no avail. Colter’s voice ricocheted and made her nauseous. But there was no time to be scared. She pulled herself up to her full, paltry height. 

“You pissed off the wrong person, short stack.” Gage’s drawl was unmistakable. 

“Could say the same to him.” She was going to exude confidence if it killed her. This wasn’t her first rodeo and Colter wasn’t the first leader to threaten her life. 

Gage chuckled and tightened his grip on her arms. “You’re dumber’n you look.” 

“Aw, thank you.” She said sarcastically. “You look about as stupid as I expect you are.” 

“Say what you want. Better to get it off your chest before he smashes you into the floor,” he paused, “Or the wall.” 

She scowled into the empty air. “Fuck you. He’s not gonna kill me.” They always talked big, the _bosses_. 

He whistled, tugging her closer. She could feel the stubble on his chin brush her ear. His voice was a quiet rumble. “You’ve seen the Gauntlet, short stack. You know what happens if you get to the end.” He relaxed his grip. 

She yanked free and spun to face him. He stared hard at her and watched the realization dawn. 

“You’re not joking, are you? _Are_ _you_?” Her mind tripped over the idea and she came up empty. What else was there to do? 

He shook his head slowly and watched the fight go out of her. She looked tired. Gaunt. Easy to beat into the ground. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost. 

The distant booming grew louder until a hulking steel frame filled the doorway. Wesley stared across the arena, eyes like saucers. She stepped backwards into Gage who once again gripped her arms. 

She stammered. “P-p-power armor?” 

Colter’s laugh broke through static as he stared down at the two of them. “Alright Gage. Let ‘er go.” 

He grunted and dropped his hands from her. With a nod, he backed towards the opposite door. 

“Looks like I should’ve killed you the first time ‘round.” 

Colter stomped towards her. Wesley froze in place. The Overboss wasn’t carrying a weapon, but fists would be more than enough. The power armor was several, several times her size. 

Breakdowns of size, weight, force, and velocity pinballed through her mind. It made her sick. Even the old Mechanist armor would prove useless against the mammoth chassis. He would crush her. He would crush her and she doubted he was going to do it quickly. Wesley’s knees shook and vibrated the metal around her boots. 

“Aw, wha’s a matter? Are you scared, li’l girl?” 

Wesley clenched her jaw. “Fuck you. If you’re gonna do it, let’s get it over with.” She wasn’t sure where the pluck was coming from, but she was grateful for it. 

His only response was to laugh. It was cruel and ruthless and barbaric. He took a booming step forward. Another. And another. Wesley stumbled backwards. She watched him wind up. The armored fist bulldozed the air ahead of it, speeding towards her head. 

“STOP!” She lost her balance and hit the ground hard. A wave of dizziness weakened her knees and sent her eyes spinning. 

Colter struggled to regain his footing with a growl and stalked towards her again. 

Wesley held her hands up. “WAIT!” The words ran together. “I can help you. I can help you overhaul your power armor! Make it handle like its fresh off the assembly line!” She cowered under the towering figure. 

The Overboss paused. “Thought you wanted this to be over quick.” He sniggered through the headset. “But I’ll bite. What the hell’re you gonna do with this suit that I can’t?” 

She glared up at him. “From the look of _that_ ,” she gestured at him, “an awful lot.” 

He took another step forward. 

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Her leg armor sparked as she skidded backwards. “Shocks, calibrations armor fortifications- you name it I can do it! And I can do it better than you- better than _anyone_.” 

“Getting’ a little desperate there, short stack.” Gage was studying the two of them. _Colter gonna take the bait?_ He chuckled. There was something amusing about her attitude. 

“Quiet Gage.” The Overboss turned back to Wesley. “Now _you_. You’ve been a royal pain in my ass.” 

She looked incredulous. “Look pal, _you_ had your goons drag me here. You underestimated _me_. I’m a fuckin’ genius and you have me what? Brooming up somebody’s guts?” She stuck her tongue out in disgust. 

“Short stack did clip that collar, Boss.” Gage’s arms were folded. 

“Shut the hell up Gage.” He continued, “The only reason her brains ain’t all over this floor is because o’ _me_.” He pounded a fist against the chest of his armor. “Tell you what, li’l girl- you think you’re so much better ‘n me at this? I’ll give you one shot to prove it.” Yellowed teeth carved a smile across his face. 

She had managed to get back to her feet. “Fine,” she folded her arms, “But you’re gonna make sure I have the tools if you want this done right.” 

Gage chuckled from the doorframe. 

Colter barked to his number one. “Congratulations, Gage. You just got y’self promoted to babysitter.” The Overboss turned on his heel. “Gage’ll get whatever y’need, girl.” He hovered in the opposite doorway. “And Gage?” 

“What, boss?” the raider’s mood had soured. 

“Anything happens- it’s your ass.” 

As the booming footsteps retreated, her knees buckled and she folded to the ground. Loose strands of hair fell over her face as she stared down at the floor. The laughter started so softly Gage thought she was crying. The growing crescendo of giggles turned to belly laughter so extreme that she was crying and coughing and choking. Wesley rolled herself backwards with hands and arms outstretched. The neon lights were almost pretty from above and she grinned up at them. Gage’s silhouette was suddenly dark against the bright beams. His voice was gruff. 

“And just what’s so goddamned funny?” 

She ran a finger under each eye and sniffed. “You mean besides your boss calling you a babysitter?” She was panting too much to keep laughing, but the smirk remained. 

“You can fuck right off with that shit.” He wrestled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “Get up and let’s go.” 

Wesley groaned, but pushed herself up. The relief of relative safety was beginning to dissolve like the grey plume rising towards the ceiling. Coalescing into nothing. 

*** 

The day was unusually warm. Wesley mopped the sweat off her face with the back of her hand, spreading grease across her forehead. Neither of them had much patience and both were keeping to themselves. 

She stretched her fingers towards the semicircle of tools surrounding her but couldn’t quite reach it. A strand of hair tickled at her nose and she sighed in irritation. 

“Hey- gimme that wrench.” 

“Grab it yourself. It’s right there.” Gage gestured at it with a frown. He was flipping through an old issue of _Guns and Bullets_ with a cigarette dangling precariously from his lips. 

She frowned. “I can’t reach it.” 

“So get up.” He blew a stream of smoke her way and turned a page. 

Wesley was glaring daggers at him. “But I’m comfortable here.” 

Gage didn’t bother to look up. “Don’t care.” 

It was all she could take. “Look you moron, I’m surrounded by parts that have been cleaned, sorted, and laid out in a very specific order.” She gesticulated angrily. “I don’t expect your brain to comprehend this feat of engineering, but I do expect you to hand me. That. Wrench.” 

Gage slid off the wall. His steps were deliberately slow, and he watched her expression turn to greater annoyance. 

“Sometime today would be _fantastic_.” She turned back to inspecting the skeletal leg of the empty power armor frame. Something didn’t seem quite right in the structure. Wesley tilted her head and scooted closer. She started to mumble to herself. “looks tilted at an odd angle…” Her fingers swept over the joints. “Maybe I could- WAAAGH!”

The wrench windmilled across the floor. With a metallic crash it careened through the carefully laid out pieces. Gage was chuckling at the mess.

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” She ran a hand through her hair and stared at the pieces. Wesley’s jaw cracked as she ground her teeth. “You stupid piece of shit! I can’t believe-“ 

“Aw, y’mad?” She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. “Short stack, lemme ask you a question.” 

“What?” 

“Why do you think I give a shit or that I’m gonna take orders from you?” 

He studied her face with enjoyment. It had contorted in pure rage. One minute he was chuckling at her. The next minute something solid and metallic was colliding with his craggy features. The floor rushed up to greet him. 

“Oh fuck.” She glanced down at him looking amused, then horrified. She had meant to scare the babysitter, not maim him. Wesley jumped up and slid across the floor, hovering over him. 

“Gage?” She slapped at his cheek. “Wake up, you idiot!”

He caught her wrist mid-slap and groaned. “I’m awake, quit smackin me.” 

She was surprised when he gently dropped her arm. “Oh shit- your nose.” Her hands covered her nose and mouth in a sympathetic gesture. 

The swelling that had started as a bump had now grown into an angry reddish-purple mass. Her basic medical training screamed for ice, but this wasn’t a vault. There was no power. There definitely wasn’t ice. 

Her anxiety swelled like his nose with each passing minute and Wesley swallowed hard. _No, we have to find a Stimpak. Maybe Med-X? Where the fuck would those even be?_  

“Gage,” she inhaled deeply, “Where are the Stimpaks and Med-X? Your _friends_ took my supplies and now I don’t have any.” _Yes, Wesley this is definitely the time to bitch about raiders stealing your stuff._  

The raider grunted and kept his eyes closed. “Through the doors. Walk down the hallway and turn left. There’s one of them first aid kit things on the wall.” 

She hopped up and speed-walked through the doors, returning quickly. 

“Alright, so I’m going to do the Med-X first so the-” 

“No.” 

“No?” She peered down at him. “No, what?” 

“No Med-X. Just the Stimpak’ll be fine.” He pulled himself into a seated position with a grimace. 

“Are you ready? Count of three.” She readied the odd-looking needle. “One, two,” there was a hiss as the contents of the syringe were forcefully injected into his arm. “Three.” 

“Had a feeling you were gonna do that.” He rubbed at his arm and squinted her way. 

Wesley was taken aback by the deep purple under his eyes. She had certainly popped him good. The realization made her stomach lurch. For every action there was an equal but opposite reaction… _You really fucked up this time, Wes._  

As Gage moved to get to his feet Wesley shoved herself backwards. She squeezed her eyes tight and waited for the opposite reaction … But it never came. Instead, the battered raider walked himself to one of the abandoned booths and sat with his back to the window. He closed his eyes. She watched him with baited breath, hardly daring to breathe. He raised a brow and stared at her through narrow slits. 

“Why the hell are you starin’ at me?” 

The response took a moment as she cleared the frog in her throat. “Because I’m waiting for the payback. I want to know how this plays out.” Her face was pale, but she’d managed to keep her voice from wavering. 

He chuckled, his head swaying to and fro. He lit another cigarette and inhaled slowly while meeting her gaze. He didn’t answer her until he’d exhaled, studying her body language. Both her hands and jaw were clenched tightly. Every part of her was tense as a spring, ready to launch her in whatever direction was safest. She certainly wasn’t physically imposing, but he could see she was fast, agile. She was smart. Fought with her brain. She knew she couldn’t take him in a fight.

“I dunno, short stack. Hadn’t really thought about it.” He leaned his head back against the warmth of the glass and blew upwards before returning his gaze to her. 

Her brows had merged together. “If you’re going to do something, just fucking do it, ok? Otherwise I have work to do on this piece of shit.” She jabbed her thumb towards the oversized exoskeleton behind them. “And by the way, I wasn’t _actually_ trying to mangle your face. I just have terrible fucking aim. For the record.” 

“Short stack, I’m not gonna hurt you if that’s what you’re thinkin’.” 

“Why?” 

“You coulda made a run for it. Shot me. Killed me some other way. All kinds of violent shit.” 

“Yeah, so?” 

“You asked about Stimpaks.” 

“Well, I- Yeah. Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” She folded her legs as she sat and hugged her knees. 

“It’s nothin’ that ain’t been broke before. Now get back to that piece of shit or you’ll get a lot worse than this,” he gently poked at his nose, “from the Overboss.” 

The truth was, he didn’t know why he wasn’t angrier. It hurt -that was for damn sure- but he was more annoyed than mad. He chalked it up to her refreshing non-raider like behavior. Because it was true. She could have run off. Or worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter threeeeee  
> I wonder how many times Gage's nose has been broken.


	4. Chapter 4

Colter glanced between the two of them. Gage did a good job masking the unease in his gut. His nose had healed significantly. The bruising had faded to an ugly yellow around the edges, though there was still a bit of a lump. Wesley stared at him coolly, watching for any trace of trouble. The Overboss’ laughter echoed around the empty Cola Cars arena.

“You mean to tell me that you did all that?” Colter nodded towards his second in command. 

She nodded, suppressing a smirk. 

Gage’s arms were crossed and he frowned. His understanding mood had dissolved in the few days leading up to the big reveal. 

“Jesus Gage you got y’self beat up by Tiny over here?” The laughter filled the open space. 

She couldn’t help it. A small chuckle rolled into a cackle. They laughed in tandem until she was hugging her middle. 

Gage glared, but kept his mouth shut. Wesley was almost impressed by his self-control. 

The noise level died down, and Colter’s expression was serious once again. “So it looks like you cleaned ‘er up and slapped ‘er back together. What about that is s’posed to impress me?” 

“Why don’t you take it for a test drive before you start pissing all over my handiwork?” 

Gage nearly choked. _This girl have a deathwish or somethin’?_ He was beginning to suspect that she wasn’t as soft as he’d originally thought. 

The Overboss stood over her with an audible growl, but the tiny mechanic didn’t balk. 

“I mean it. Take it for a test drive if you wanna be sure.” 

He eyeballed her silently, finally breaking eye contact as he turned to the hulking suit of power armor. 

“You better hope I’m impressed.” 

The frame hissed around the man’s massive form and once again Colter was booming around. Gage watched the suit closely. The movement was smoother. More controlled. The Overboss didn’t seem to stumble as much, and the weight was more evenly distributed. It seemed the pint-sized engineer really had managed to upgrade the kill suit. 

Colter’s movement came to a sudden stop. The armor whooshed open once again, and he climbed out looking delighted. “Well Li’l Bit, I’m impressed. Never had power armor that ran like new.” He lowered his eyes dangerously. “Too bad everything’s finished. Now I don’t have a use for you.” 

“Wait, what?” Wesley was momentarily frozen in fear. 

“I’m just fuckin’ with ya. I’ll be needin’ you to stick around and keep up with it.” A well-muscled arm scooped and yanked her to his side. He gave her shoulder a rough squeeze. “What other tricks y’got up your sleeves, eh?” 

Wesley assumed he was taking her grimace as a smile. 

“Boss.” Gage cleared his throat. “I think the gangs wanted a word. Might want to parade that power armor. Show ‘em who’s boss.” 

Colter dropped his arm and looked thoughtful. “Always good to keep ‘em in their places, the bloody fools.” He loosed a bawdy howl and slapped Gage’s back. “This is why I pay you the big bucks, Gage.” He shoved past his wingman to reenter the armor, disappearing down the outside lift. 

Wesley filled her lungs with air, exhaling with relief. She had been spared. They had both been spared.

Gage scowled silently and kept his gaze trained on the exterior patio as she brushed past. 

“You know you could look at _little_ relieved.”

A grunt. 

“Not gonna weigh in, huh?” 

Another grunt.

“Alright.” She breathed another sigh of relief, craning her neck and squinting at the clouds. The sun was warm on her face.

_It’s really nice outside._

Wesley disappeared and reappeared through the blue doors. The armor felt heavier than it used to, but it was a welcome weight on her shoulders. It meant safety. Emboldened by the whole ordeal with the Overboss, she strolled to the wooden platform hovering just off the porch. She crossed one leg over the other and leaned back coolly.

“You coming?” 

Her voice broke through his daze and Gage shook his head to clear the fuzziness. “What? No, we’re not-” 

The lift shuddered as she pushed the brightly lit red button with an impish smile. “Guess not.” 

The raider rushed forward and dropped heavily onto the moving platform. He gripped one of the ropes and towered over her, glowering. 

“Relax, Gage.” She met his gaze with candor. “I’m not going to try to run off.” She smiled slyly. “C’mon, it’s not like I’m gonna get very far.” Her head bobbed towards the small horde of Disciples milling around. 

His expression softened, but he remained vigilant. They stepped onto the pavement together and Wesley stretched her arms and shook out her legs. The clunky metal covering her boots rattled. Her collar rubbed at the still tender skin on her neck and she gentled it with a finger. 

“Why’re you wearin’ all that shit? You don’t need it here, and we ain’t goin’ out there.” Gage gestured towards the gates. “Colter wants his li’l engineer where he can see her.” 

“No, Colter wants me where _my babysitter_ can see me.” 

The raider growled inaudibly. “You just keep it up, short stack.” He pulled a crinkled pack of cigarettes out of a jean pocket. 

She pushed past him and moved towards the marketplace doors. 

“Wait we ain’t goin’ in-” the door swung inward and she disappeared. “God damnit.” He took a deep drag of the cigarette and shoved himself through the opening. Sunlight bounced off of the polished steel around her shoulders and made him squint. Cigarette smoke disappeared upwards as the raider shielded his eyes. 

Wesley’s demeanor had changed. She’d grabbed an empty wire basket and wandering from table to table. Gage hovered behind her and quietly observed. She was scrutinizing things and mumbling to herself. Her fingernails glanced from object to object keeping a slow pace. Some of the odds and ends were deposited into the shopping basket, others left in their haphazard stacks.

“Just what in the hell are you doin’, short stack?” 

Wesley jumped slightly at his words. She’d known he was there, just not so close. “You said it yourself, Mr. Nanny: I’m the engineer. I need tools if I’m going to do the job.” 

Aaron, one of the traders, watched their exchange with a chuckle. “Nothin’s free here. Don’t care if you’re Colter himself.” 

Wesley tossed a carefree look over her shoulder. “Pay the man, Gage.” And continued on her way. 

“God damnit-” He paused at the sound of the shop owner clearing his throat. 

“You know the rules, Porter. _Everybody_ pays.” Aaron tapped the counter impatiently. 

Gage cursed under his breath and tossed a bag of caps on the counter, jogging after his charge. 

“Hey!” He fell in step with her easily before holding an arm out to stop her. “I know you think you’re hot shit,” he scowled, “But if I were you I might want to remember the pecking order.” He tapped at his neck. “You say the wrong thing to the wrong person,” his eyes burned into her, “things might get uncomfortable.” 

She nodded quietly and brushed a finger over the raw skin at her collar. Her features hardened. Her brows cleaved a line across her forehead. _So that’s how we’re gonna play this, huh? Alright then._ Her voice was coarse. “Guess I’ll have to remember that then, won’t I?” Any sense of camaraderie between the two had dissolved. 

Wesley pressed past him, rushing all the way back to the Overboss’ lair. Her petit frame disappeared through the sliding doors at the bottom of the _Grille_. She punched the flashing button on the elevator and glared across the space at her minder until the sliding doors separated them. They hissed open, dumping her into the familiar room on the top floor. She slammed the bathroom door behind her and twisted the lock hastily. With a sigh, she examined her purchases: A brush, a bar of soap, and a metal bucket. 

Gage rapped on the door and jiggled the handle. It was no use. She wouldn’t dignify him with a response. He swore under his breath and backed off, sinking into a chair across the room. The table was cool on his cheek as he laid his head down and shut his eyes. 

The next minute there was the soft sound of padding feet against the tile and a new and foreign aroma. It was pleasant. Clean. He wiped the excess drool from his mouth and sat up with a stretch and a yawn. Wesley disappeared into the kitchen. He heard the sound of cabinets opening and closing and the groan of the refrigerator door. Gage sat still, listening to the mundane cacophony. 

Just as he’d begun to zone out, there came the softly padding footsteps again. Wesley crossed the room silently and rolled herself onto the twin-sized bed near the power armor stand. _His_ bed. Gage was taken aback for a moment. He opened his mouth to protest, but decided to save his energy. 

She let her hair down. It stretched well past her shoulders like a silver waterfall. She’d brushed and loosely plaited it. Currently, the granite strands sipped over the mattress and towards the floor. He found himself wondering about the color as his eyelids drooped. The yellow sleeping bag beckoned him and images of silver faded to darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

“Oh, c’mon we’ve been loafing around here for a week without doing anything.” Wesley was pacing. She was normally good at waiting things out, but this was different. She didn’t have a say. It was getting to her. _He_ was getting to her. Ever since her “stunt” at the market, he’d been an absolute ass. And she was getting tired of being squashed under his thumb. 

He chuckled knowingly through his teeth with a slight hiss. “Not true, short stack. Most of them days you were fussing around with Colter’s suit.” The armor made a hollow, metallic sound as he rapped his knuckles against the plating. 

“There’s nothing else I can do to that damn thing.” she folded her arms. 

Gage shot her a wicked grin. “Oh? Guess my babysittin’ days are over then.” 

She screwed up her eyes and rubbed at her temples. “Look, _Gage_ ,” She rarely used his name unless she was being condescending, “What I meant to say was there’s nothing else I can do to this thing without _additional materials_. I don’t know about you, but I would like to stay alive. It would seem the best way to ensure my survival is to keep Colter happy.” She glared at him. 

“If you think I’m gonna let you drag my ass up and down Nuka Town lookin’ for scraps and duct tape-” 

“God damnit! I need supplies, and you’re the one who’s supposed to be helping me you lazy sack of-” 

“Now, now kiddies.” The pair froze at the familiar voice. “You’d better play nice.” Colter stared down at both of them from the patio elevator. 

Her mouth was suddenly dry. She didn’t dare shoot any looks at Gage, but inwardly begged him to keep his mouth shut. 

“Nice of you to join the party, Boss.” Gage shook the stiffness from his limbs and approached the man in charge. “Short stack’s gotten your armor all fixed up and fine-tuned.” He shot her a cocky glance that turned her insides to ice. 

“Well, looks like she’s becomin’ one of us.” He stalked towards the power armor with big, heavy steps, depositing his rifle on the counter. His eyes were centimeters from the polished steel as he scrutinized every metal inch. 

Gage watched for a moment, turning his gaze to Wesley. There was a small feeling of…guilt? It was that look of fear in her eyes. That fear that overrode her sulky disposition and reached into her core: she didn’t have what it took to stay alive if Colter decided right then and there that she was done. And she knew it. 

Wesley’s head was still, but her eyes darted frantically around the room. She was always calculating a way out. Her eyes finally landed on the rifle laying haphazardly over the edge of the counter.

Her mouth was a grim line as she looked between the three: the rifle, the raider, and the Overboss. Gage wasn’t sure what made him do it, but he gave her a sharp look and cleared his throat. 

“So Boss, me and short stack here put our heads together-”

“That must’ve hurt.” Colter slapped the man on the back with a bawdy laugh and pulled a flask from his pocket. “But tell me more, Gage.”

“Well, seems we could be doin’ more with more…”

“Materials.” She’d found her voice again. “I can keep this tuned for the most part with what we’ve got in the general vicinity.” 

“English?” the Overboss upturned the flask into his mouth and swallowed greedily.

“I want to scav. There’s lots of untapped potential out there.” 

“Nah. Already told Gage- ain’t time to muck about with the other parks.” 

“I don’t want to go to the other parks. I’m an engineer, not a merc.” Her tone was biting and impatient.

“What she _means_ is,” Gage took a breath and glared at her, “Around here, outside the gates- places that ain’t really been touched, but ain’t all that dangerous.”

“We can bring in scrap for other things too.” She fidgeted with her fingers. “Lots of stuff around here needs kept up with, right?”

Colter paused to consider their points. He put a hand to his chest, looking irritated. His cheeks flushed a bright pink and his expression became increasingly stern. Wesley and Gage exchanged looks, assuming the worst. The Overboss looked like he was about to erupt. And he did, letting out a disgustingly deep, reverberating belch. 

“Yeah, sure.” He yawned and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his jacket. “Same deal.” He pointed the flask at his number one, then Wesley. “Gage. Babysitter.” He bumped the opposite fist against his chest, producing a much smaller burp. “Girl. Fix shit.” He wrangled them both together with outstretched arms, bringing Wesley’s ear close to his wet mouth. “Fuck up? You die.” He clapped them both on the shoulders, grabbing his gun before disappearing through the blue doors. “I mean it!” 

As they closed, Wesley flashed her middle finger and cursed him under her breath. She turned her attention back to Gage. 

“I hope you don’t expect me to thank you for that.” 

***

They were walking around the sickly brown water. At some point it had been wishing well. Currently, her nose crinkled at the smell of decomposition.

Gage inhaled smoke and blew it her direction with a small smirk.

Wesley coughed dramatically, waving the cloud away. Her tone was flat. “Those’ll kill you, y’know.”

“You seen the world lately? Not too worried about these,” he said, patting his pocket. “’Sides, everybody’s got a vice.”

“Seriously? Must be a raider thing.” She deepened her voice mockingly. “I’m a raider and I don’t know any better because the world ended. Boo fuckin’ hoo.” Wesley sniffled dramatically and wiped away invisible tears. “It’s called _self control_.”

“Uh huh.” He looked amused. “Lemme guess- too smart for your own good, always thinkin’ your way around things. I’ll bet you’ve got a soft spot for Mentats.”

“No. I told you.” She halted abruptly and stamped a boot against the pavement. “Drop it.” Her boots clanged like cooking pots as she scuffed ahead of him. 

Gage nodded knowingly and took the last drag. _We’ve all got our vices._  

Wesley busied herself sorting through the spread of garbage. She stayed quiet, raiding any and all toolboxes, crates- any kind of container around Fizz Top. The pack was getting heavy. Sweat ran in slow rivers down her face. A few errant hairs stuck to her forehead as she swept them back for the umpteenth time. 

The sun was beginning its jog towards the horizon and bathed everything in a pretty coral glow. She sighed and slammed the lid of an empty metal box. Both of them winced at the sound.

“Getting’ late there, short stack.” 

“I’m well aware.” She blinked sweat away from her eyes in irritation. “And that’s not my name. And as far as nicknames go, it’s not even creative.” 

“Yeah?” He looked bemused at her exasperation. Served her right for being such an ornery bitch all the time. 

“Yes. I’m very much aware that I’m short, dumbass.” Her fist closed around the bag strap. “Though I suppose if I’d grown up an uneducated shitbag,” She paused, trying to yank the bag along with her, “I’d go for the most obvious insults too.” 

Gage frowned. Her words had struck a nerve and it had taken him by surprise. He started back towards the man-made mountain, whistling softly. “S’pose I’ll meet you up there.” He disappeared with a slight wave. 

Wesley fumed silently. He knew damn well the bag was too heavy. _He’s doing it on purpose because he can’t deal with the fact that he’s a fucking idiot_. But she wasn’t going to give him what he wanted: the satisfaction of besting her. She paused and looked around. Across the way there was a small cart with wheels emblazoned with the all too familiar Nuka World logo. 

A cool breeze whispered past her ears, and she took a break to watch the sun sink. Joy and heartache bloomed in tandem at the memories. Her first sunset. The indescribable beauty of it. The loss of her home. The beginning of her life falling to pieces, and reality punching her in the gut. 

Tears came unbidden and she wiped them away with the heel of her hand. She sniffed and let the glowing disc drop behind the buildings in its entirety before turning back to her project. Darkness trickled in and the stars winked into existence seemingly out of nowhere. She’d read enough books to understand the how and why, but the magic of it remained. On the nights she took the time to watch, there was always a strange familiarity. It felt as though she could reach out and touch the stars. Like she _had_. 

Wesley blinked in the low lighting and tossed the nostalgia aside. She had an idiot to best. And best him she would. She gloated to herself as she loaded the ancient stroller and shoved the groaning thing towards the doors. 

Gage blinked across the room as his cohort stepped heavily off of the lift. The sound of squeaking and scratching accompanied her. There was a look of triumph on her face as she dragged the Nuka-themed stroller behind her. 

“Well ain’t you clever.” he chuckled and scratched at the dusting of stubble on his chin. 

“More than _you’ll_ ever comprehend.” She shoved the makeshift cart between the giant tool chest and the power armor stand with a grunt. There was no way she was going to admit it, but she was exhausted. And hungry. 

“You’d better make sure you’re prepared for an early start tomorrow.” Wesley turned and marched towards the bathroom to scrape off the day’s grime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand that was Chapter 5  
> It's really weird working on multiple stories at once, but its nice to be able to switch between them when I get stuck. As always, comments and Kudos appreciated : )


	6. Chapter 6

By the time Gage ambled his way down the silent hallway, she was asleep. Colter had kept him out drinking into the wee hours, though the Overboss seemed almost unfazed by the substantial amount of alcohol they’d consumed. He rubbed at his eyes, trying to clear the drunken blur. He stumbled his way across the room and slammed his thigh into a table. 

“Shit!” A dirty hand massaged at the tender meat. Gage jerked his head towards the shadowed corner. He breathed a sigh of relief when there was no sign of movement. The raider didn’t give it any more thought. Nature was calling him to the porcelain commode and he wasn’t one to ignore her. 

He slapped a palm into the wall, trying to lessen the sway of his body. Beyond the stench of urine, a pleasant aroma filled his nostrils: the smell of clean. There was a bar of soap and a bucket under the sink. A hairbrush lay behind the faucet covered in long silver strands. 

“Huh.” 

He shuffled to the yellow sleeping bag and collapsed, leaving the thought to dissipate into the stagnant air. 

The next minute he was sputtering, all flailing limbs and curses. 

“You’re dehydrated.” She slammed the empty can onto the table with a loud _clack_ and took a seat. Her foot bobbed impatiently. The metal joints squeaked with each bounce. 

“The fuck’s wrong with you?” He palmed his face, slinging the water sideways. 

“I _told_ you, be ready for an early start.” 

Gage pulled himself to his feet with a groan and dragged himself into the chair across from the sadistic woman. 

She fanned her nose and made a face. “Do you people ever bathe? Jesus Christ.” 

“We can’t all be graced with good hygiene, short stack.” 

“ _Wesley_.” 

“Who’s Wesley?” 

She rolled her eyes. “ _I’m_ Wesley.” 

“The hell kinda name is _Wesley_?” 

“The kinda name my parents gave me.” 

“Oof, I’m sorry about that short stack.” 

“Now you’re doing it on purpose.” 

“No, I’m just bein’ honest.” 

“Just shut up and eat so we can get going.” 

She shoved the can of cured meat at him. He gave the tin a pained look before peeling the metal backwards. The smell of it made him gag and he pushed it back towards a chuckling Wesley. 

“Guess plain old water it is.” She rolled the next can across the table, mostly to watch him try to catch it before it took a nose-dive towards the floor. 

Predictably, the raider moved to intercept and missed with a curse. He bent down in frustration and grabbed the can, only to smash his head into the underside of the table. 

Gage slowly righted himself. The look on his face was murderous. Wesley clamped her lips together and tried with all her might not to laugh. She moved to stand and turned her back to him while breaking into a maniacal grin. She tossed a quick look over her shoulder. “I’m uh- gonna go wash up before we go.” And with that she scampered off. 

Gage kept his eyes trained on her until the door closed. 

*** 

Wesley kicked at a random rock. The day was hot and the armor wasn’t doing much but weighing her down. She shielded her eyes and studied the landscape. There was so much beyond the soda-themed juggernaut. Overpass remnants led around the expanse. She wondered what it might have been like before the world went to hell. 

“You gonna stand there all day admirin’ the scenery or are we gonna do something?” Gage had been cross since the morning’s wake up call. His patience was razor thin. 

“What all’s out there? Beyond the parks?” Her eyes traced the steep hillsides that seemed to close them in. 

The raider shrugged nonchalantly. “I dunno. We ain’t really organized a group to check a lot of things out. Too busy transforming more important territory.” 

“Let me get this straight,” she pivoted with a look of disgust. “You guys come in and take Nuka Town. You don’t do any _real_ reconnaissance of the other parks because your boss doesn’t feel like,” her fingers curled into air quotes, “ _Mucking about_ with them. And to top it all off, you haven’t even _bothered_ to explore the vast landscape surrounding the tiny portion of territory that you actually managed to secure?” She sucked in a breath.

“Look, short stack- just because you can tinker with your little toys don’t mean you got any idea how to run an operation like this.” He wondered why he was even bothering to cover for Colter. The truth was, Wesley had it right. If an outsider could recognize the problem, why couldn’t the Overboss? He lashed out at her in frustration. “And you’d better watch what you say about management. Colter don’t take kindly to his leadership being questioned.”

“Whatever.” She continued to clomp forward before stopping in front of a covered transit bench. Her hand flapped furiously as she fanned at her face. She collapsed onto the red bench and puffed her cheeks.

“You’re turnin’ awful red there, short stack.” 

She harrumphed at him and slid the gauntlets from her arms. The hulking chest piece was going to be trickier and she stood to do the careful dance. 

“Guess that’s one way to solve it.” He chuckled and lit a cigarette. The white-grey cloud drifted her direction and she glared at him over the hot metal. The sight of her with the armor halfway off was downright ridiculous. She was nothing but angry eyebrows. For the first time in a long time Gage was laughing. Genuine, hearty, belly laughter. 

In her frustration, Wesley had tried to rush the process and managed to get herself stuck. She cursed and struggled further, desperate to get the damned thing off. 

“You look like a human trashcan.” He chuckled. 

She grimaced in discomfort and embarrassment. “Gage.” Her voice was quiet, but hard. “I need your help.” 

“I’m sorry, what was that? I couldn’t quite hear you.” He cupped an ear and grinned. 

“I need your help.” 

“Sorry short stack, still didn’t quite get it.” 

“I _said-_ I. Need. Your. Help.” She gave another wiggle. “Now would you _please_ get off your ass and get over here?” 

“Lemme finish this first.” He took another drag and leaned back. 

She muttered impatiently and tapped her foot against the sidewalk. Sweat dripped down the collar of her jumpsuit. Her body stiffened at the sudden pressure of his hands on the metal. He grinned smugly and gave the armor a good yank. Her hair tie snapped, loosing a cascade of silver down her back. It poured over her shoulders and stuck to the sweat on her face. 

“Fuck! Did you see where it went?” Her hair spun with her as she twisted to look for the elastic. Cool blue eyes darted across the cement. “Gage?” She peered over her shoulder at him and pulled a section of grey behind her ear. 

“Uh- no. No, I don’t see it.” He rubbed at his eye to avoid further staring.

“Ah ha- c’mere you little fucker.” Wesley swooped the tie off of the ground with a triumphant smile. “No worries, I found it myself.” She turned to grin at him, brandishing the small black loop. “I could make an eyesight joke, but that would be too easy.”

She noticed his lingering gaze. “Oh _god_.”

“What?” He looked like a child caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

“You’re going to ask me, aren’t you? About my hair.”

“What about your hair?” He blinked.

“Ha ha.” She twisted the length of her mane and coiled it at her crown. “Well? Go on.” 

He choked before finding words. “It’s grey and,” his hand moved from his forehead to his thigh, “Long?” 

“Great observations. I’ll bet they love to put you on watch on those long, dark nights.” Wesley rolled her eyes and continued. “B-12 deficiency.” He stared blankly. “B-12’s a vitamin. Basically I didn’t get enough vitamins or nutrients when I was little. Its really rare that it results in grey hair, but it started when I was around 17 or 18.” 

“And you didn’t cut it after that.” 

She shook her head slowly, surprised at his insight. “It was,” she tapped at her chin, considering the words. “I guess it was a big fuck you to everyone. If they thought I was going to be ashamed, then I’d show them.” 

Gage laughed aloud. “I’ll bet you did.”

Their eyes met for a brief moment and both looked away uncomfortably.

“Did we just have a moment?” she asked sarcastically. 

“Nope.” 

“Alright then.” 

“Ok then.” 

They both nodded and grabbed the cylindrical green duffels. 

“What about your tin can?” He slung the empty bag over his shoulder. 

She shrugged. “We’ll come back for it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was probably my absolute favorite chapter to write dialogue-wise. THE BANTER.
> 
> Hope y'all are enjoying the story so far. Comments and kudos give me LIFE! So feel free to leave some : )


	7. Chapter 7

“Shit shit shit!” Wesley ducked behind the raider with a wild look in her eyes. “Left!” 

The gunshots popped off near her ears and garbled all the sounds. Another of the giant crickets hopped towards the pair and seemed to watch for an opening. It took another leap only to be met with the tip of Wesley’s boot. The insects were heavy and punting them didn’t seem to do much. A single jump brought it right back to her.

“Behind! Behind!” She wheeled around opposite Gage who squeezed the trigger and pelted the mutated crickets with bullets. Her eyes darted around the landscape. “We gotta make a run for that house!” She pointed over his shoulder and tugged at the yellow latticework around his torso. “Come on!”

Wesley sped towards the empty homestead, arms and legs pumping furiously. Gage jogged backwards and got in a few more shots before turning himself around. It didn’t take him much time to develop and stitch, and his face twisted in discomfort.

She flew up the stairs and frantically popped herself through the bedroom window and onto the roof. The oversized bugs were hot on Gage’s tail and he looked winded. There was a knot in her stomach as she pulled the leaded egg shape from her pocket. She inhaled deeply and shouted as loud as she possibly could.

“Gage shoot the dirt!” she pantomimed the action and tried to meet his gaze. “Shoot the dirt!”

He’d hardly seen what she was doing but managed to get the gist of it. He spun gracefully on his heel and let loose a barrage of bullets. A cloud of dust exploded, blinding the angry crickets. The first part of the impromptu plan was in motion.

“Run! Run for the house!” She waved the grenade above her head before pulling the pin and chucking it like a baseball. The oblong shape careened towards the dust cloud and she mentally counted down keeping a direct line of sight on Gage.

“Three…” _He’s gonna make it._ “Two…” _He’s gonna make it._ “One…” _Oh shit!_

The explosion shook the ground

Her hand shaded her eyes and she squinted towards the chaos. The dust cloud had more than tripled in size, but nothing seemed to have escaped the blast zone. Something solid hit the bottom of the first floor and she winced. _Sounds like he made it all right._ On her way back through the window, she caught her foot and banged her chin against the frame. As she slid the rest of her body through the narrow opening, she looked up to see a dirt-crusted raider staring down at her. There was blood seeping from a shallow cut over his eyebrow, but he seemed otherwise intact.

“You wanna tell me just where the hell you got that grenade?”

“No, not especially.” Wesley arranged herself into a comfortable sitting position with her back against the bed. Gage collapsed next to her, sending up a small cloud of dirt. He was panting heavily. Sweat blended with grime and blood on his forehead to create a grotesque mud. “And by the way you look like shit. 

“Thanks. Some dumbass threw a grenade at me.”

“I didn’t throw it at _you_ , I threw it at the giant bugs _behind_ you. Well, insects.” She prodded at her chin with a frown. There was going to be a bruise 

Gage focused on catching his breath. The cut above his eyes was still bleeding and he was blinking the thickening red liquid away from his eye.

Wesley watched him for a quiet moment before digging through her pockets. She produced a handkerchief of sorts and beckoned him towards her. His chin was scratchy in her hand as she steered his face around. When she’d found decent lighting, she blotted at it with the fabric. She squinted at the small gash before pressing the cloth to his brow. 

“Well lucky you- it doesn’t need stitches, so that’s good.” She pushed his head back with her thumb on the kerchief. “Hold pressure on this for another minute or so and the blood’ll clot.”

He nodded at her with a grunt, and pressed his palm to his forehead. They sat in silence for a long while, watching the shadows lengthen. Wesley yawned and reached for the ceiling. She turned to the raider dozing beside her. 

“Gonna get dark soon. We need to head out.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Gimme a minute.” His voice was gruff.

She was already on her feet and heading downstairs.

“Hey wait a minute- where’re you goin’?”

She peeked over the edge of the floor and rolled her eyes. “I was _going_ to search for useful materials that might be floating around.” A single eyebrow dipped. “Unless my escort is afraid I’m going to run off and get lost.”

Gage pushed himself heavily to his feet and stretched wide. He slowly rolled his neck before massaging his shoulder. “You still didn’t explain the grenade short stack.”

“Nor should I have to.” Her head bobbed out of sight.

“God damnit, Wesley!” He skidded down the stairs and positioned himself in front of his charge. His eyes were narrowed and he towered over her. “You can explain it to me, or you can explain it to Colter.”

She scowled up at him, feeling betrayed. Anger flared in her chest. “You wanna know? You really wanna know?” 

“The hell would I be asking if I didn’t?” 

“You call me short stack often enough,” she gestured up and down her body. “It should be obvious. Especially to a _raider_.” She shot him a particularly nasty look, continuing venomously, “I’ve got no weapon, I’m not all that physically strong, and half of my armor is sitting on a bench way the fuck out _there_ ,” She threw her arm towards the open doorway. “So if I happen to find the odd grenade in these random containers, you’d better bet your busted ass I’m gonna pocket it.” 

“Well I-”

She cut him off, continuing her rant. “And let’s get something straight. You don’t know me, what I’ve been through, or what I’m thinking.” Wesley sniffed and wiped her nose violently against her sleeve. “I don’t know why you’re so afraid I’m going to run off- where would I even go? Did you think about _that_?” Two droplets rushed down her cheeks as she continued. “Right now I’ve got a roof over my head and food to eat. I’m not stupid. I know I’m not going to shoot my way out of this, and I know I’ve got it a lot better than most of the wasteland. I don’t have family out there missing me and fretting over my disappearance. It’s just _me_. I’ve got _nothing_ to get back to.” 

Wesley shoved past him and out the door. She stopped just outside, head bent and quietly sobbed.

Gage stared speechlessly at her silhouette. The light in the distance was just beginning to fade before he broke the silence.

“You ready?” 

She dragged her sleeve across her face one last time and started forward without so much as a nod.

 

***

 

The voices were muffled, but if she stuck her ear to the door she could make out most of what they were saying. Gage’s familiar drawl drifted through the wood. _What the hell were they talking about?_

“Look, I’m just saying I think she should be armed. It shouldn’t be up to me to keep your little mechanic from gettin’ tore up by the local pests.” 

“She’s got armor, she don’t need no gun.” Colter slid his flask from the breast pocket of his shirt. 

“Yeah, but-” 

“But nothing, Gage. I’m the one in charge around here and what I say goes.” The Overboss took another swig from the flask. “And I say she don’t need no gun.” 

Gage leaned closer, keeping his voice down. Wesley cupped her hands around her ear, trying in vain to make out the quiet speech. “You’re the one that wants that fuckin’ suit kept in order. What happens if we run into those Gunners? You want them takin’ her as a hostage? She knows enough about this place to-” 

“Gage,” His tone was sharp. 

“Colter I’m telling you this as your _friend_. Give her a reason to be loyal to _us_.”

“Fine. Give the girl back her god damned weapon.” The Overboss had deflated some, but his face was still red. “And Gage?”

“Yeah Boss?” 

“You talk to me like that again and I’ll have your tongue.” 

Gage bristled at the comment, but kept his expression neutral.

Wesley heard his footsteps coming back and skittered towards the bathroom. Gage looked furious and disappeared into the kitchen. She stepped lightly in front of the bathroom sink and resumed brushing her hair. A small smile brightened her face. She laid the brush down gently at the grumbling drawl. Gage had reappeared in the doorway. 

“Colter thought it was a good idea to give you back your pea shooter. Don’t go blastin’ me with it.” 

He dropped the familiar weight into her hands without meeting her gaze. “Now c’mon. We got work to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I'm not dead!  
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Feel free to leave kudos and comments : )


	8. Chapter 8

They had pushed past the closest sources of scrap to Nuka Town including the town itself. Garbage cans had been picked through, containers of all types and sizes had been emptied of anything remotely useful. Wesley had begun cleaning out the bottom floor of the _Grille_ and making room for scrap. 

“It’s _organized_ clutter. I know where everything is!” She tapped a finger to her lips and turned a slow circle. “And I know it’s around here somewhere…” 

Gage groaned and watched a particularly precarious pile sway. “Just how in the hell do you misplace a _rifle_?” He paused, looking somewhat amused. “Never mind, I forgot we were talking about you.” 

“I think I found-“ She gave a yelp and Gage watched a stack of trash topple where she’d been standing. “Help? A little help over here please!” 

The raider made his way towards the pile and noticed a hand full of wriggling fingers. “Oh for fucks’ sakes Wesley.” His tone was more chiding than angry as he gripped her hand and tugged. 

She was back on her feet but off balance. Bits of scrap and debris were sliding out from under her boots as she tried and failed to gain traction. She felt another heavy tug and found herself colliding with Gage’s chest. He’d instinctively caught her in an awkward embrace to keep the two of them from toppling. Peering down, he caught sight of Wesley’s hands balled into his tank top. She met his gaze and turned pink. The filthy fabric slipped from her grasp and she moved to step backwards. 

He released her quickly and cleared his throat. “You find that beam spittin’ toy of yours in the avalanche?” The raider was staring at the freshly collapsed pile of junk. 

“Nope.” She breathed an exasperated sigh and secured a few loose strands of hair. “But on my way down I _did_ remember that I left it upstairs to keep from losing it. Of course it had to be _after_ I was nearly murdered by that heap of scrap.” She was glaring at the mess. 

“Right.” He looked annoyed. 

“Be right back.” The elevator doors closed before he could say anything more.

 

***

 

He fell into step beside her as they hiked towards a distant building. Wesley tended towards higher ground, scanning the path ahead of them.

“So what’s the deal with this place?” She shot him a sidelong glance. 

“I know about as much as you, short stack. Two story building.” The raider paused. “One of them little fancy ass suits said something about a bunch of shovels.” He shrugged. 

“Remind me to give you credit for your keen intel-gathering skills.” Something about the outing had her on edge.

The ground rose in a slow incline as they continued towards the structure. Wesley was made all the more uncomfortable by the sounds coming from inside. There was a small brick wall topping the shallow hill, but it was enough to block their view. 

“Gage, you hear that?” 

“What?” He chided her. “I don’t hear anything ‘cept them boots of yours.”

She smacked at his shoulder, catching her fingertips on the yellow steel. “Fuck!” Her index finger disappeared inside her mouth as she frowned. “Is it- I think it’s bleeding!” She stared intently as her hand shook with radiating pain.

“How the hell did you do that?” He grabbed her hand and squinted at it with his good eye. “Looks like you just bruised under the nail.”

Wesley tugged her hand out of his grasp. “Well it hurt. Why do you even wear that garbage anyway? It’s not like its gonna do a whole lot of good.” She harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“It keeps irritating little girls from-” 

“Shh!” She hissed and held a finger up to his lips. Her voice was a whisper. “Do you hear that?” 

He swiped her hand away with a dirty paw. “I don’t hear nothin’.” 

The tiny mechanic was already scrabbling her way up to the brick wall. 

“Huh? A noise?” 

Wesley’s eyes were saucers as she slid backwards into her scavenging partner. 

“What was that about?” 

“Quiet!” she hissed and spun to face him. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Super mutants.” 

Gage studied the worry lines on her face. There was a pang in his gut, though he didn’t have time to ruminate on it as bullets sprayed over top of the wall. _So they have a minigun_. He swallowed hard and tried to formulate a plan of attack. 

The zing of bullets stopped and the deep voices sounded from the building’s interior. 

“Musta been nothin’.” 

“Well good job, genius. You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut and now we’re stuck-” 

“Shut the hell up unless you’ve got a plan to get us out of here.” There wasn’t a chance for a rebuttal as the raider scaled the hill on tiptoes and peered around the side of the wall. He ducked quickly. “They’ve taken the house.” His voice was grim. 

Wesley peered over the wall and gasped at the scene. Limp bodies bathed in syrupy red littered the grass around the building. The booming footsteps of more mutants echoed down the hill. 

“We need to get out of here before they notice us.” Her voice had raised several shaky octaves and her knuckles were white around the rifle grip. 

“I’d have to agree with ya there, short stack.” Gage checked the status of his ammunition. He turned to nod at her and they spun in tandem. Both of them bit back shouts at the masked group of figures that had silently appeared. 

“Colter thought we might like to get our hands a little bloody.” Nisha’s cronies smiled, showcasing their rows of sharp teeth.

Wesley gulped and felt a cold sweat dampen her back and forehead. The masked figure seemed to be implying something before sweeping around the left side of the wall and crouch-walking towards the house. The rest of her unit followed suit, flanking left or right and slowly circling the structure.

“So they can handle this, right?”

Gage growled, brows forming an angry ‘v’. “Gonna cause us _a lot_ of problems if we ain’t there.” 

“Perception is everything.” She was more than annoyed. “So we have to put our asses on the line because some creepers in masks decided to invite those oversized vegetables to their Halloween party?” 

“What’s Hal- You know what, I don’t care.” Gage moved to spy over the wall, leaving her to do what she would. “Just get ready.”

There was slight relief as she realized what he was doing. “You’re gonna wait for them to make a move, and act as backup.” 

“You got it, short stack.” 

A pair of binoculars sprang up next to him. Wesley was biting at her lips as she squinted through the lenses. “Looks like they’re almost there.” 

The popping of gunshots sounded from the front. Several supermutants roared in rage. Some in pain. Red beams skittered across the ground in all directions. They pair could hear the whistle of the minigun whirring to life. Shit hit the fan as planned, as Wesley watched through the weathered lenses. 

“Well, they’re losing.” 

Gage shoved past her without a word and crouch-jogged towards the dilapidated building. 

“Gage! What the hell are you _doing_?!” Her body pulled her forward against her brain’s better judgment. She didn’t bother with crouching and soon caught up to him.

“You stay back here. Snipe ‘em if you have to, but I’m assuming y’know better than to get up in their ugly faces. 

The raider jumped to his feet and jogged towards the Disciples, opening fire on the nearest colossus. Anxiety twisted her insides as she watched him charge towards danger. But she watched him nonetheless.

Keen eyes followed the action through broken windows and open doorways. She watched the mutants take down several Disciples, and the Disciples take down a few mutants. Gage had disappeared from view, which left her feeling unsettled. But there were only two super mutants left and the masked miscreants seemed about to take them down. 

Ignoring both Gage’s words and her better judgment, Wesley slung the laser rifle across her back and made a run for the building. She practically slammed into the front wall, heart hammering. She _hated_ situations like this. No plan, nothing between herself and the not-so-jolly green giants but a gun. It reminded her of DC. 

She kept her back to the wall and walked a slow circle around the landing to the stairs. Most of the shouts and sounds of battle had drifted to the space behind the old building. Wesley crept up the stairs, nearly silent, and poked her head over dusty floorboards. Gage had his back to the stairs and was clapping the dirt from his hands. She watched the particles drift towards the giant green carcass on the floor and breathed a sigh of relief. 

A hooded figure stalked into her peripheral vision treading silently towards Gage. The woman’s steps were slow and deliberate as her hand moved to the back of her belt. The blade made no sound as it slipped from the worn leather. Once the raider had slithered close enough, she drew her arm back and readied the ugly weapon.

Gage whirled around and watched as the Disciple crumpled backwards, body twisting in a way that felt _wrong_. The knife rattled against the floor. Smoke and burned flesh flavored the air. He turned his gaze to the stairs. Wesley stood a few steps down from the landing. Her gaze burned through the woman’s body like a laser blast. The two pieces clicked and his eyes were wide. He stared at her hands on the gun. Watched the small tremors erupt. 

She met his gaze and her face softened. “You done being an idiot?”

The smile reached his eye and he chuckled. “Guess I owe ya one.”

“You’re goddamned right.” She shouldered the gun with a slight grin. “But Gage,” her face was hard and her jaw clenched, “She tried to kill you. What does that mean?”

“Mean’s Nisha’s still peddling the ‘don’t get caught’ bullshit to her bloodthirsty crazies.” 

“So, do we let Colter know?” 

“Without proof?” He pulled the pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “C’mon short stack. You’re smarter’n that.”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah.” The adrenaline was fading in waves and made her dizzy. “Should probably get going.” 

Gage watched her descend, nodding silently at her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 8!


	9. Chapter 9

Wesley looked the rifle over, scrutinizing every component. Lasers could be extremely temperamental. One had to keep them calibrated. Fine tuned. The Disciple incident was playing on repeat in her head and filling her with silent questions. Questions she was keen to ignore.

 _What if I’d been too late? Did someone see me kill her? What would happen if she had stabbed-_  

Bawdy laughter burst through the door, pulling Wesley and Gage from their quiet stupors. “Well look at you domesticated lot. Playing house, are we?” 

Gage looked up from the magazine in his lap and glanced between Wesley and the Overboss. “What’s up, Boss?”

“Got a job for you.” He met Wesley’s curious gaze. “And _only_ you.” The grin on his face was unsettling. 

“Oh?” Gage chose his responses carefully. “Whadaya need, Boss?” 

“Need y’to go check out the depot.” Colter paused dramatically, holding eye contact with his protégé. “Commonwealth side.” 

“Somethin’ up?” 

“Yeah. That broadcast is bringin’ us more than new vics.” His eyes glittered dangerously. “Seems our old Gunner pals are tryin’ to muscle in on _my_ territory.”

“Ah. I see.” Gage scratched nonchalantly at his chin. “So y’need me to go crack some skulls, eh?” 

“And don’t come back ‘till they’re dealt with.” 

“Sounds good, Boss.” He paused for a moment and glanced at Wesley. “I’ll bet short stack here could rig up some good defense shit. You oughtta think about sending her with.” 

“Absolutely not.” Colter’s eyes burned, jumping between the two of them. “Got a match lined up. Gonna need my mechanic.” His smile was threatening. “Besides, you need to get your ass out of here now and get to the station. Mags has offered a handful of her pretty little boys and girls to run with you.” He put a hand on Gage’s shoulder. “So get your shit and off you go.” 

“I was thinking we might head out early tomorrow-” His jaw tightened at Colter’s tightening grip. The larger man’s fingers dug into his shoulder and he stepped closer, towering over Gage. 

“I said,” his face drew closer, “Get your one-eyed ass out of here.” Colter pulled the raider into a rough embrace and patted his cheek mockingly. “Now,” oversized digits bit into the muscle as the Overboss squeezed, “Do we understand each other, _Gage_?” His lips curled into a delighted snarl. 

Gage’s face darkened but he nodded slowly. “Understood, _Boss_.” 

“Good.” He gave the raider’s cheek another light clap. “S’what I like to hear.” He trundled to the balcony and saluted the two of them before disappearing down the lift. 

Wesley studied the rage churning below the surface of Gage’s face.

“That guy is _such_ an _asshole_.” She ran a hand through her hair and stared through the oversized windows.

“Don’t say shit like that about him.” 

“Are you seriously going to sit there and _defend_ that lunatic?” Wesley folded her arms and glared. “And _why_ shouldn’t I-” 

His voice was quiet, but firm. “Because he’ll kill you.” He brushed past her and headed for the door. “You need to stay here.” 

“You’re not going to sit here and order me around like some-” 

“I’m not gonna argue with you.” He sighed. “Just keep your head down and your mouth shut until I get back.” 

The door mechanism clicked and blood rushed to her face. She took to muttering angrily at the door. 

*** 

There was a strong tug under her armpits and suddenly Wesley was standing. The wrench she’d just been holding clattered against the tile. 

“Alright tiny. Time t’go.” 

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she tucked her arms to cover the sudden goosebumps. Her heart was racing from the sudden contact and she was overtly aware of just how physically imposing Colter was.

“Time to go?” 

“You’re one of _us_ now little girl. It’s time you come drinkin’ with your brethren!” He roped her to his side with an uncomfortable squeeze. “Get ready for a wild night.” 

She wondered if he thought of her like some kind of rag doll as they descended towards the front of the _Grille_. Her feet finally touched ground when his fan club approached, cheering and jeering. Fists pumped while they stirred up miniature dust storms with their filthy boots. Apparently, the Overboss had them primed for the Gauntlet fight. 

“Well what’re we waitin’ for, boys? To the bar!” 

A cacophony of cheers erupted as they moved en masse towards _Cappy’s Café_. Unfortunately for her, Colter had linked their arms in some kind of celebratory gesture. She could swear she’d dug her heels in enough to leave track marks all the way there. It was only when the Overboss had finally ripped open the doors that he’d bothered to let go of her.

She’d let him buy her a beer and found a dark corner to haunt. Once left alone, Wesley had actually begun to enjoy her time. It was always amusing to watch drunken idiots in their natural habitat. The raiders tended to boast and brag about the most inane things. Who shot this one or killed that guy. What was the point? She chuckled to herself, feeling aloof. 

“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Not havin’ a good time?” Colter once again towered over her. She turned slowly to face him while her brain scrambled to find a decent excuse. “No worries, love. I got just what you need.” 

Wesley met his gaze as he shook the small plastic _L_ at her. She opened her mouth to object. He shoved the inhaler inside, squashing the top and bottom together. Vaporized depressants flooded her system. The strong chemical aftertaste pursed her face like a lemon and suddenly the room slowed. The neon lights left brilliant, glowing trails that sizzled around the room. Sounds devolved into slow currents whirlpooling in her head. Her pupils exploded into inky black discs, leaving a thread width ring of blue grey in their wake. 

The brief panic she’d felt faded seamlessly into a deep ocean. It felt like swimming underwater. Dulled sounds. Slow, floating motions. Sensations were drawn out, reverberating. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled with a moan. It was a sinful sort of sensation: everything was pleasurable.

She could make out the rolling thunder of Colter’s laughter as he clapped her shoulder, but there was no discerning what the fuck he was rambling about. He moved in closer, but she pressed both hands to his chest and moved him backwards. She mouthed the words and pushed the sounds from her diaphragm. _I need some air_. And continued towards the door. 

Her breathing was slow and heavy as she pulled her body up the metallic steps in the dark. Dancing firelight from torches and smoking barrels cascaded across the sky. She swayed in awkward time with them and her eyes ached if she tried too hard to focus on the white-hot embers. The hum of electric pulsed like beacons as she drew herself onto the roof. Wesley sauntered past the glowing red letters welded across to the top of the building. The flat expanse of roofing was a good five feet above her, but she grit her teeth and scaled a rusty statue of a smiling bottle cap. The cement was solid under her back. The stars jumped around with every slight movement of her eyes. There was a fuzzy kind of consciousness growing around the edges of her vision. 

An odd feeling of familiarity washed over her, like a word on the tip of her tongue. She knew it was there, but couldn’t make it real. Odd visions of figures played behind her eyes, but the footage was too blurry to make out their faces. There was a hot blue flash, then darkness. 

***

Wesley’s eyes snapped open and immediately shut. The light streaking into the room was blinding. It made her brain feel like it was being ripped open and fed through a meat grinder. Her stomach churned and she dry heaved, rolling to her knees. There seemed to be nothing to evacuate and she swallowed dryly. The events of the previous evening slowly dawned on her. 

 _Jet_. It was a cascading whisper in the back of her mind. Her mouth twitched. The fresh sense of anxious terror reverberated her insides, and she dry heaved again in protest. 

“Wild night?” Gage proffered a can of water. “I heard the boss took you out drinkin’.” There was trepidation in his voice. 

_Drinking? But I don’t-_

The can hissed open and she drank deeply. “Yeah,” fingers fussed at her ear nervously. “Quite a hangover after all the excitement. You know how things go.” She rubbed circles around sleep-encrusted eyes with the heel of her palm. 

Gage fidgeted. His gaze drifted from his hands to the interesting patterns on the carpet, back to her face. “So,” He was visibly uncomfortable, “Anything, you know, _happen_?” 

“Happen?” Her body went rigid. “Oh, ew! God no, he was too busy with his entourage to even notice me after a while.” She was too preoccupied with trying not to vomit to notice the relief spread across his face.


	10. Chapter 10

She was leaning on the balcony wall and breathing slowly. The sudden clunk of the elevator mechanism made her jump. Colter was returning from his latest bout and something about his energy was off. His posture was stiff. His arms were crossed. There was a dark expression crowding his features.

The ancient wood groaned as the Overboss trundled towards her.

“You.” She felt her whole body tense. Upon further inspection, Wesley noticed the striking blue-purple running from his nasal bone to his eye. The area was badly swollen, and he could barely squint. 

“Colter, I-” 

A hearty fist had twisted the front of her jumpsuit and Wesley was suddenly hovering in front of him. “It’s _Overboss_.” He stabbed a finger towards his face. “You see this, tiny?” 

“I-I-I,” she stuttered and clutched her collar. 

“I said,” he jerked her upwards until they were eye to eye, “Do you see the bruise on my face?” 

She nodded and grasped at his hand in terror. 

“D’you know _how_ this happened, pet?” 

She was a harried animal caught in a trap, ready to gnaw off a limb to get away. He gave her a good shake. The jumpsuit’s metal zipper bit into skin and she winced. 

“The fucking vic managed to bludgeon the bloody helmet right off my fuckin’ head. Got me real good right here.” He was poking at his eye again. “Might’ve finished me if I wasn’t such a great fighter.” His eyes blazed and he was staring her down again. “You ain’t tryin’ to make your Overboss look bad, are you? Look weak?”

She shook her head, still pawing at his hand. 

“Well then you’d better make me a better suit.” His lips brushed her ear. “Because if anything like this happens again, I’ll gut you.” He released her easily and watched her tumble to the ground. “Don’t let me down, tiny.” 

Something inside her snapped. Whether it was lack of sleep or stubborn defiance she clapped back at him. “I don’t know what else I can do with the suit, _Overboss_. Maybe you’re not as good as you think you are.” His gaze was murderous as she stared him down. “Tell me, Colter did your _vic_ even have power armor or did you leave it up to my handiwork to make up for your skill deficit? I built that suit with my own two hands so I can tell you your inadequacies don’t have shit to do with me.” 

It took him two strides to close the distance between them. “Your own two hands y’say?” Crooked tar-stained teeth grinned down at her and she knew at once she’d made a colossal mistake. His fist closed around her digits and he began to squeeze and twist. The Overboss had a fiercely strong grip- she couldn’t weasel free. Her face twisted in pain. The begging started quietly, crescendoing to a scream as he snapped her wrist. 

Somewhere beyond her cries she could hear angry rumbling. Colter dropped her hand as something solid collided with the monster. 

 _Gage?_  

The impact had sent her sprawling backwards. Their exchange was obscured by the blood pounding in her ears. He’d inserted himself between them and some kind of scuffle ensued. 

“Don’t touch her, Colter-” 

The Overboss silenced his subordinate with a punch to the gut. It knocked the air out of him and the Gage gasped. 

“Picture you givin’ orders to me.” Colter laughed vindictively before turning back to Wesley. “Time to get up, lovey.” He hooked her hair between meaty fingers and dragged her to her feet. 

She cringed at the sensation and clawed deep trenches into the back of his hand. He growled, tugging harder. She could feel the hairs straining against his grip. The corners of her eyes teared up as she tried in vain to lessen his hold on her. Fear gripped at her insides. 

 _He’s going to scalp me. How do I get away- I can’t get free! I have to get free!_  

She was starting to panic. Her breath came in quick, shallow gasps. Her heart raced as the adrenaline flooded her system. 

 _I have to get him off of me. Have to get his hand out of my hair._  

The pressure to her scalp had reached a breaking point. Blood drummed in her ears and suddenly she was falling again. A sharp _shink_ had released her from Colter’s grasp. She watched as silver tendrils slithered downwards, falling into soft coils all around her. Her mind struggled to turn over. Her head felt lighter. 

The sudden loss of balance felled the Overboss. Wesley managed to scramble out of the way, but not without putting weight on her injured wrist. She yelped as a pair of strong hands caught her under the armpits. Gage dragged her away and sat her on a filthy stool. His face hovered in front of her and he held her cheeks between his hands. 

“Stay back. I’ll handle this.” His stare burned into her. “And keep your mouth _shut_.” He turned back to Colter, shoulders squared and ready for action. 

The Overboss stumbled his way to his feet with a savage grin. “Back for more, Gage?” He breathed heavily and his brow was bathed in sweat.

Gage put his hands up and approached his boss slowly. “Nah, I think we’re about done here, Boss.” 

“I’ll say when things are done, you ungrateful bastard.” He took a swaying step forward. “Is that bitch really worth your life?” 

Gage chuckled. “Nah. I just figured you wouldn’t want to kill your mechanic.” He whistled low. “Hard enough tryin’ to keep you from maiming her instruments.” He patted his wrist and jerked his head towards her. 

“She should be lyin’ dead under my boot after talkin’ to me that way.” He was glaring daggers at her crumpled form. “Killed a lotta people for a lot less.” He pulled the silver flask from his pocket and drank deeply. “What d’you expect me to do with that vicious little bitch?” 

“Looks to me like you taught her a very important lesson today, Boss.” He hazarded a glance her direction. “Don’t look like she’ll be doin’ that again.” 

“Why would I want to keep her around- she’s useless. You heard her. There’s nothing more she can do with the suit.” He cracked his knuckles and stared greedily. “Might be more fun to play with her.”

“Look Boss, you can do whatever you want with the girl. I don’t care either way. But I think she was just tryin’ to goad you.” He slid a cigarette out of the package and pressed it between his lips thoughtfully. “Pretty sure you cleared that right up though.” He chuckled again and took a drag. “Sorry about tacklin’ you, Boss. You just have a tendency to kill people real quick.”

Colter studied his face. “S’pose I do, don’t I?” The flask disappeared into his pocket and he sighed. “I’m trustin’ your judgment here. You ain’t steered me wrong yet. Hell- you’re half the reason I run this place.” He gave the raider a hearty smack on the back. “But this is the last chance Tiny gets, understand?” 

“You got it, Boss.” He glanced back at her. “She’ll come up with somethin’ good. Just needed the proper motivation.”

The Overboss chuckled heartily, crossing the room. He paused next to a defeated Wesley with a smug grin. He leaned down to whisper and sniggered as she flinched away from him. “Well that was a bit of fun, wasn’t it? Best you see Mackenzie for that. Can’t have you out of the game for too long, eh?” He squeezed her shoulder before disappearing off the porch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Colter's a big meanie head.


End file.
